Precious (Harry Styles)

TWENTY SIX

A week had passed since Ari walked out. Louis had expected to come home by now.

He had tried texting her and calling, but assumed she didn't want to speak, as it kept going straight to voicemail.

The kids were all still sad, especially Harry.

He'd hardly slept in the last week, and was extremely agitated.

Louis was exhausted. Trying to juggle work, being a dad and what with Harry being so needy.

He was in the kitchen, making dinner. Tonight was spaghetti and meatballs, the kids favourite,  and nice and easy.

He dished the food up and called the kids. In seconds, Niall was at the table, eating.

"Alright...slow down or you'll choke." Louis warned him.

"It's yummy Daddy." He said as he slurped up a long strand of spaghetti.

"Where's  Gemma and Harry?" He asked as he put glasses of water on the table.

"Harry's crying, she's trying to get him to move."

Louis sighed and went into the living room, finding Gemma trying to pull a sobbing Harry up off of the floor.

"What's going on Gem?" He asked as he walked closer.

"Dad! He won't go for dinner and I'm hungry!" She replied, huffing.

"You go eat love, I'll  see to him." Gemma got up and went to get her dinner, before it got any colder.

Louis sat on the sofa. Harry was still on the floor crying.

"Harry...dinners ready. Are you hungry?" Harry shook his head.

"You're not hungry? Are you sure?" He shook his head again.

"Come and sit next to me." He patted the seat beside him.

Harry looked up at Louis.  His eyes were red and puffy, tears streaking down his flushed cheeks. He looked so sad.

He made no effort to move  so Louis sat down on the floor beside him.

"What's wrong love? Tell Daddy so i can help." He put an arm around Harry.

Harry rubbed his stomach.

"Do you have a tummy ache?" Louis asked quietly.

Harry nodded and put his head on Louis' arm.

"Why didn't you tell me Precious? Do you feel sick?"

Harry nodded again. Louis felt his forehead. He felt warm and clammy.

"Can I put you on the sofa? You'll be more comfortable. "

Harry nodded, sadly. Louis picked him up gently and placed him on the sofa.

Niall came in and sat on a chair. "Is Harry poorly?" He asked.

"Yes...he has a bad tummy. Can you watch him for a minute? I need to get some things for him." Niall nodded and sat at the end of the sofa.

Louis went to the kitchen and fetched a bucket, a glass of water, some pain killers and a thermometer.

"Is Harry ok Dad?" Gemma asked.

"He's not feeling good Gem." He replied as he went back to the tiny boy who was laying uncomfortably on the sofa.

"He looks green Daddy." Niall said as Louis took his place on the sofa.

"Hmm...he does look a bit of a funny colour." Louis said as he put the thermometer in Harry's mouth.

It beeped. It was slightly higher than it should be, but not too high.

"Harry love, I want you to take some medicine to make you feel better "

Harry nodded. He was good at taking his medicine, as he has to take lots each day, from having his lung transplants.

He took it no problem and drank some water.

"Get some rest. Hopefully you'll feel better soon.

Louis warmed his dinner up in the microwave and took it into the living room to eat, so he could watch over Harry.

Gemma did her homework, Niall read a book. Harry slept.

A bit of peace for Louis.  Make the most of it!

After an hour, Louis noticed that Harry was a bit fidgety.

He couldn't lay still for more than a minute. He was still asleep.

"Daddy!" He suddenly called out, sounding scared.

Louis thought it was probably a bad dream.

"Daddy!" He cried. Louis picked him up and put him on his lap.

"Its ok...I'm here."

Harry held his stomach, and groaned.

"Gemma! Pass the bucket...quick!"

Gemma grabbed it and nearly threw it at Louis.

He held it under Harry's  chin.

Harry cried. He hates being sick. He started gagging.

He kept swallowing.  He wasn't going to be sick!

"Harry...don't swallow love. It'll make you feel worse." He rubbed Harry's back. He could feel how tense Harry was.

He kept gagging,  and swallowing, but the inevitable happened, and he threw up so hard, it splashed up out of the bucket, over Harry and Louis.

Louis took no notice, as Harry kept being sick, hardly getting his breath back inbetween.

Gemma had gone up to the bathroom.  She collected a flannel and a towel.

Niall was hiding his face under a cushion. He wasnt good with vomit.

By the time Gemma came back down, Harry had stopped being sick.

He had laid against Louis' chest, exhausted.

Gemma took the bucket away, Louis smiled at her.

She wiped Harry's forehead, then wiped as much vomit off of him and Louis, drying them off.

"Thanks Gemma." Louis said and he wiped Harry's tears off his hot cheeks.

He managed to lay him on the sofa. He had fallen asleep  so Louis took the bucket away to empty and clean.

He came back in with the clean bucket and slumped on the sofa.

"Has he got a bug?" Niall asked.

"I dont know love. I hope not.  You two better stay away." He said, just as he realised that Gemma had cleaned them up." Gemma, did you wash your hands?" He asked, slightly concerned.

"Yes Dad. I scrubbed them. I'm not silly." She smiled.

"You're certainly not." He smiled back.

They now had to wait and see if that was the end of the sickness. Fingers crossed.